Automatic train stop



I'L C. GRAHAM.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN STOP.

APPLICATION FILED sun: 21, 1921.

Patented June 27, 1922.

14 If I? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HOWARD C. GRAHAM, OF ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI.

Au'rorrA'ino TRAIN sror.

Application filed June 21, 1921. Serial No. 479,178

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOWARD C. GRAHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Joseph, in the county of Buchanan and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Train Stops, of which the following is a specification.

This invention pertains to automatic train stops, and particularly to a device of this character intended for use in connection with locomotives and cars equipped with automatic air brake systems. 7 d

An object is to provide a mechanism by which the air pipe is opened to permit an air exhaust and thus automatically apply the brakes when the stop is set against the loc'omotiveor car.

A further object is to so construct and arrange the parts that they may be employed in place of the ordinary derail as:

now used, and which is operated from the tower by a tower man, and to arrange forsetting of the parts by the tower man so that the locomotive or car will be positively brought to a stop even though the engineer or motorman may disregard home semaphore stop signals;

A still further object resides in so constructing the parts that the parts carried by the locomotive or car are shielded and protected against operation by contact with trash or other matter along the track.

Yet another object is to provide a protecting case for the air escape valve with a trap door opened by the proper stop mechanism along the track, and so balanced that snow orother matter along the track striking the door will keep it closed.

With these and other ob 'ects' in view which will be apparent from the drawings, specification and claims, this invention includes certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts which will now be set forth. v

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation of the forward end of a locomotive showing the assembly carried thereby.

Fig. 2 is a top plan of the structure on the locomotive.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section showing the cooperative arrangement of the track device and locomotive assembly.

Fig. 4c is a sectional view showing the inner face of the protective case in elevation.

Fig. 5 is view in elevation of the track device.

The device broadly includes a train assembly A mounted upon the locomotive B,

or upon a car or other railroad or railway vehicle; and, one or more trips or stops C located along'and positioned adjacent the track on which the vehicle travels.

The assembly A includes acase 1 comprising a top and two sides, and preferably made of heavy boiler iron so that it will with-' stand any shocks received in use. This case is bolted or otherwise rigidly secured on a bracket 2,. and'the bracket 2 is secured by bolts 3 onto thebutt end of the engine and pilot on the right side, or is otherwise suitably mounted to extend from a car or vehicle. Q I

Case 1 is beveled across the forward end as at 1, and is open at both ends. The case is so mounted that it extends parallel with the track rails 55, and has its open side disposed'downwardly. A door 6 is pivoted at 7 to close the open front end of case 1, this door being of the trap type and having an extension 8 projecting from its inner edge to overlie-the forward sideof the engine pilot. A spring 9 is provided to close the door.

- An air escape valve 10 is secured on the inner side of case 1 and has its operating handle 11 extending through an opening 12 in the side of the case to thus project laterally into the case when the valve is closed. A stop 13 is provided to limit movement of the operating handle 11 when the valve is opened.

The locomotive assembly is connected in the main train line 14 by inserting a T-joint 15 and running off a branch pipe. An air discharge pipe 16 is connected with valve 10 and a hose 17 establishes connection from the branch of the T-joint to the air dis charge pipe 16. An air cook 18 is connected :in the branch of the T-joint to adjust and regulate the amount, of air which will be exhausted to discharge through pipe 16.

therein as at 23. An operating rod 24, which may be the rod ordinarily employed to set a derail, is mounted slidably in bearing 21 and a link 25 is connected with arm 22 and rod 24 to raise and lower the arm when the rod is moved endwise by operation of a lever or other means within the control of the tower man. These track devices will be located at suitable points, and might be arranged to be operated by signal setting means.

In operation the locomotive assembly A is mounted at a suitable point on the locomotive or car and one or more track devices C will be secured on the ties at the desired points where the stop is to be made effective. hen valve operating handle 11 is set as in Fig. 2 valve 10v is closed and normaloperation of the air brake system is permitted. Spring 9 holds the trap door 6 in the closed position as indicated by the-full lines in Fig. 2, and snow will exert pressure against the balancing end 8 to keep the door closed. lVhen the automatic stop is to be operated rod 24 leading to one of the track devices is moved endwise to raise trip arm 22, and this arm is then disposed in line with the passage in casing 1. As the locomotive passes the track device with the trip or stop arm raised trap door 6 is swung open as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2 and the valve handle 11 is swung to a position where .it engages stop 13, thus opening the valve for the exhaust of air through discharge pipe 16.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a device which will prevent collisions between trains or any railroad or railway cars or vehicles equipped with automatic air brakes, by failure of engineers or motormen to disregard home semaphore stop signals; that the structure may be installed for operation from a signal tower by the tower man and to take the place of a derail; and that when the stop is set against the locomotive or car the brakes will positively be applied, there being no way in which the engineer or motorman can render the train assembly inoperative.

While, in the foregoing, I have described specific embodiments, and have mentioned only certain possible modifications, it will be appreciated that in practice I do not wish to limit myself to such specific details as herein set forth, but may resort to any practical modifications falling within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim 1. An automatic train stop including with a vehicle having air brake equipment, a valve on the vehicle by which the brakes are rendered operative, a case by which the valve is protected against casual and accidental manipulation, and a track device to openthe case and actuate the valve to a brake setting position.

2. An automatic train stop for use in connection with air brake equipment including an escape valve carried by the train and connected in the air line, a case enclosing said valve, a door for said case, and a track device to open the door and actuate the valve.

3. An automatic train stop for use with air brake equipment including an open ended casing carried by the train, a valve con nected in the air pipe and having an operating handle extending into said casing, a trap door closing one end of the casing, and a track device capable of being thrown into and out of operative position and constructed to open the trap door and engage with the valve handle when set on the operative position.

4.. An automatic train stop including with a vehicle having air brake equipment, a valve carried by the vehicle and connected in one of the air brake pipes by manipulation of which valve the brakes are rendered operative, an open ended case mounted over the valve with its open ends disposed forwardly and rearwardly, a trap door hinged at the forward end of the case and provided with a balancing extension by which the door is held closed through contact of snow and the like with the extension, a spring to close the trap door, and a track device shiftable to an operative position in which itis disposed to open the trap door and actuate the valve to a brake setting position.

5. An automatic train stop including with a vehicle having air brake equipment, a valve on the vehicle by which the brakes are rendered operative, means by which the valve is protected against casual and accidental manipulation, and a track device to engage said means and actuate the valve to HOWARD C. GRAHAM. 

